In the return leg of the Stage three in Europe Cup Women in Athens Greek Panathinaikos A.C. beat LZ Linz Froschberg in four games. In the opening leg on Monday in Austria they needed one less.
Katerina TOLIOU prevailed against Andrea Pavlovic in the opening match (11-5 11-7 11-4) and against Anastasiya ADZIONAVA in the last. Konstantina PARIDI also overcame RADZIONAVA (9-11 11-8 11-8 11-8). Phantita PINYOPISAN was the only player to score for Austria’s team. She beat Elisavet TERPOU (11-6 12-10 11-8).
Konstantina PARIDI said: “I am very happy for my team. And because I won the second match that gave us the ticket to the next round. My psychology was great because I knew my adversary from our last match so I stuck to my tactic and won the game. It was very important for us playing at home it gave us an extra boost”.
Panathinaikos A.C.Coach Nikos ZERVAS added: “I am so proud of the girls. They showed strength despite the injuries we had. It was tough but we showed passion and made it to the next round and of course we are excited for our future in the competition”.
Linz Froschberg’s Andrea PAVLOVIC promised the Austria side will come back stronger.
“I am sad that we lost both matches. I feel like it’s kind of my fault because I started both games first and I lost so it was difficult for my teammates to play. We gave our best but it wasn’t enough. We need to learn from this match and come back stronger. I believe in this team and that we can achieve more than we showed. It was not our best days but we will for sure keep moving on and come back stronger. We keep our heads up and we will fight for our next games in the Austrian Bundesliga Austrian Cup and the semifinal of the European Super League. So we will work to achieve the next goals”.
Italy’s ASV TT Südtirol repeated the success from the opening leg and overcame Austria’s TTC NanoTech Villach again. This time it was much harder than in Bolzano where they recorded straight matches victory. In Villach Italian club was stretched to full distance.
Ivana MALOBABIC caused major problem to Italian club. She beat both Szandra PERGEL (11:7 11:5 11:4) and Deborah VIVARELLI (11:5 11:4 11:9). Deborah VIVARELLI beat Dragana VIGNJEVIC (7:11 8:11 11:7 11:6 6:3) and in the decisive match Szandra PERGEL overcame Anna Zsofia FENYVESI (11:5 11:5 11:6). In third match TI Hong Loan succeeded against Ida JAZBEC (11:8 5:11 13:11 5:11 6:5).
“We didn’t have the best start Szandi lost easy 0-3 and I started 0-2. I managed to fight back and I’m really happy I won. Loan also had a very difficult match and she was brave to fight until the end. We didn’t play good today in my opinion but we fought as a team and that brought us the victory ” said VIVARELLI.
Szandra PERGEL added: “I knew the match will be hard on On Wednesday was also so close….However this was a different venue different ball I tried my best but MALOBABIC played really good today! She didn’t miss ecen one easy ball! Luckily we could win we are happy. At the end Austria’s side changed the lineup and I played against Hungarian I have never played before but it was a friendly game because we already qualified.”
In the opening leg of Stage 3 Hungarian SH-ITB Budaörsi Sport Club beat A.S.D. Tennistavolo Norbello 3:1.
At the start Iana NOSKOVA overcame Helga DARI (11:8 11:3 11:9) but she lost long distance fourth match against Georgina POTA at the end (11:9 6:11 7:11 11:9 4:6). POTA alos beat Eleonora TRUDU (11:1 11:1 11:3) whilst Veronica MOSCONI lost to Maria FAZEKAS (9:11 10:12 7:11).
